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  • … It blooms with fragrant, purple flowers in the summer. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long-lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and … are also common; new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3-8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … following list contains plants in the Plant Evaluation Program that are also top-rated plants for the Chicagoland growing region (zone 5). Asclepias (milkweed) Aster (aster) Athyrium (lady … following list contains plants in the Plant Evaluation Program that are also top-rated plants for the Chicagoland growing region (zone 5). Asclepias (milkweed) Aster (aster) Athyrium (lady …
    Type: Page
  • … I received a gardenia plant as a gift. How do I care for it? You can successfully grow a gardenia ( Gardenia jasminoides ) indoors as a houseplant. However, it takes specific cultural care to trigger bud formation. For flower buds to form, the plant needs to be subjected to night temperatures of 60–65 degrees Fahrenheit with …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … Description: The Garden's largest member of the swallow family is the purple martin. Look for them flying around or perched on the large, aluminum birdhouses on poles at various locations around the Garden. Anyone walking the Garden perimeter in spring and summer is sure to notice the mini apartment complexes filled with purple birds flying in and out of their homes and calling “pew-pew.”    These purple martins, fascinating to watch, would not be here if it weren’t for the man-made apartments carefully tended by Garden …
    Type: Birding
  • … magnolia tree population on the edge of fading away. He had discovered the treasure he set out to find. Often, this is where the story ends. But when the prize is an elusive plant sought by … vines, wild roses, and other invasive plants to reach stable ground. It’s all in a day’s work for Bunting, who has gone on wild plant-collecting trips around the country and world during his … timing the seed collection and storing them long term is difficult, so the cuttings are the best approach. Mapping the Journey Bunting is building a ten-year collection plan that he expects …
    Type: Blog
  • … scene with intricately-shaped lavender flowers above bronze-tinted new foliage. Selected for cultivation by noted German plantsman, Ernst Pagels, this low-growing, hardy ground cover is perfect for shady locations. Once established (after 2 to 3 years), Epimedium grandiflorum 'Lilafee' can tolerate some dryish soils in summer. …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … either from store-bought packets or harvested straight from the garden. Often, the reason for germination failure is sowing dead seeds. To test the viability of larger seeds, add them to a jar filled with water. The dead seeds will float, while the viable ones will sink to the …
    Type: Plant Info
  • … New! Does your child love to help out in the kitchen? Bring your little chef to the Garden for stories, songs, and games followed by a cooking activity. This one-hour …
    Type: Item Detail
  • … June, it blooms with pale lavender flowers on 15-inch scapes. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy to grow, and long lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and … also common, and new introductions abound. Hosta cultivars range in size from several inches to several feet; it may take 3 to 8 years for hostas to reach their full size. They all prefer …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant
  • … and large veins in its leaves forming a pattern like a stained glass window.  It grows to a height of 15 inches and a width of 48 inches.  It blooms in late summer with fragrant, lavender flowers. Hostas are shade tolerant, easy-to-grow, and long-lived. Although they produce flowers held high above the foliage on long stalks called scapes, they are grown primarily for their foliage and neat habit. Hostas are actively hybridized for leaf color, size, shape, and …
    Type: Garden Guide Plant